Writing instrument



March 7, 1950 A. F. O'CONNOR WRITING INSTRUMENT .Fil ea Aug. 10, 194

, w a W 6 j M A T um 2 4 T 1 I M0 fi A// A/ A 4/7 F m w w w m T MIVYDI?77 M d {VP M 6 0 w w 5 22 i atented Mar. "7, 1956 UNITED STATES EFATENTOFFICE WRITING INSTRUMENT Arthur E, QConnor, Chicago, Ill.ApplicationAuguStIO, 1948, Serial No .:43,387

(c1. ram-.46

zcla ms The-present invention relates-to improvements.

in fountain pens and is particularly adaptablefo use with pens of theballepoint type wherein a dense ink is employed.

One object is to provide improved mflansg whereby the ink may be;selectively urgedinto cooperative relation with the writingelement ofthe pen.

Another important object is to provideselem; tive means for moving theink towardthe writing.

element wherein the feed mechanism requires.

A further object is to provide; an improved ink;

feeding mechanism extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture andrequiring. but few parts of readily available inexpensive material.

The invention isparticularly wellradapted for use with the axiallycompressible. ink cartridge shown in the drawings; this type ofcartridge:

being also part of the subject. matter of my copending applicationSerial No. 777,935; filed Octoher 4, 1947, now Patent2,l92,058;.dated'December.

Other objects, advantagesand capabilities of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description when read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an axial sectional viewthrough a pen embodying a preferred form of my invention; the feedmechanism being shown in full elevation and portions of the cartridgeand tip member being shown broken away for clarity; the feed mechanismbeing shown in retracted position. and a full cartridge of inkbeingshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a view of the structure of Fig, 1, with the feed mechanismshown in its extended position and the cartridge substantially empty.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the follower used to compress thecartridge.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the follower.

While the feed mechanism of the presentinvention is particularly welladapted for use with the axially compressible cartridge shown in thedrawings, it is specifically understood that it may be used also withpens wherein the ink is disposed directly in the bore of the barrel andno cartridge used.

Throughout the specification the words forward end and rear end andtheir equivalents are intended to mean the writing end and the oppositeend of the pen, respectively.

2 In the d in e bar e ieindicetetiby t reference numeral IQ. A bushingi2-is shown removably s c r in the r r an 9 th barrelore nd a. t memberHi how wmil s the forward end of the barrel; awriting; ball1h,

be n rota blv m un d tes f rwa d ll-499i the tip memberwith a duct I B frmed in the tip member to provide communication between the:

ink in the bar e and heritine a i he de ail d description thus-far beingWell known pen. cone struction.

The cartridge 0' com r es x a l mm:

to make of rubber or other suitable fie ible ma.-

pressible elongate hollow member wh h I prefer.

terial and; as shown in Fig. 1, extends lengthwise.

of the barrel bore, with its forward' end 22. re.-

movably secured to the sleeve member 24 of the.

tip member M. The sleeve-like end 22 of the cartridge may be providedwith aferrule 25 which latter may be integrated with the cartridge as bystretching the flexible material of the endig.

over the. telescoped ferrule. The ferrule 21; may be made. of vulcanizedfibre, plastic or any similar material suitable for a slidingtelescopedfit with.

thesleeve member 24 and, if desired, the ferrule may be interiorlythreaded. and the-sleeve menu-.- ber 2:3 exteriorly threaded, if athreaded connection is desired. I

The cartridge All istubular, having an integral closed end wall 25 andside. walls comprising spaced shape-retaining rings 3!) and interme'diate integral relatively thin Wa1ls-32 of concavo; convexcross-sectional configuration; the. concave surface being on theexterior of the wall 32; the walls 3-3 being adapted to foldinwardly asthe rings as move toward each other. The barrel.- ill is shown formedwith internal threads 3.4, extending from the rear end of the barrel toa point coincident the extreme forward position of the followerhereinafter described The forward end of the barrel is shown formed withinternal. threads 36 adapted to register with the extern lly: threadedend-38; of the tip member. T-he bushing, It is how as a c d ica memherhav n t? forward portion externally threaded, as alt-.410; a

s ould po i 42 at its ear snared-an axial aperture 44 extending throughthe bushing; the bushing being adapted to be screwed into the rear endof the barrel until the shoulder portion 42 abuts the end of the barrel.An actuating member 46 comprises a rod-like portion 48 extending throughthe aperture 44 and normally extending rearwardly of the bushing. Adisc-like member 50 of larger diameter than the diameter of the portion48 may be integrally formed with the forward end of the member 48adapted to normally abut the forward end of the bushing, whereby tolimit the rearward movement of the actuating member 45. A follower 52 isdisposed within the barrel adapted for movement longitudinally thereofand comprises a cylindrical member formed with peripheral threads 54adapted to register with the threads 34 of the barrel; the followernormally being in closely adjacent relation with the end wall 28 of thecartridge. As best shown in Fig. 1, I prefer to use a friction-reducingmember 55 intermediate the follower 52 and the end wall 28 of thecartridge and which is shown as a circular disc of relatively thinmaterial in fiatwise abutting relation with the end wall 28 and formedwith a centrally disposed rearwardly extending boss 56 adapted to engagethe forward surface of the follower 52. The use of the member 55 'willbe understood to be optional.

A conical extension spring 58 is disposed intermediate and is affixedadjacent its opposed ends to the member 53 and the rear face of thefollower 52, respectively, whereby upon rotation of the actuating member46 in a, given direction the spring will rotate and will in turn rotatethe follower 52 in the same direction, causing the latter to movelengthwise of the barrel into or out of compressive relation with thecartridge. The cross-sectional configuration of the wire used in thespring 58 may be round, fiat, square or any other suitable shape and itis to be understood that the spring is not used as a compression memherbut as a medium to rotate the follower capable of being retracted into acompact shape and extendable to a desired length to accommodate theextreme forward position of the follower. I contemplate the use of aspring 58 having a free length slightly greater than that indicated inFig. 2 of the drawings whereby the spring will at all times urge theactuating member 46 in a rearwardly direction. The opposed ends of thespring may be non-rotatably affixed to the actuating member and thefollower by welding or by any other of the numerous methods ofnon-rotatably fastening a spring to a member.

After the several parts of my invention have assumed the generalpositions shown in Fig. 2, it will be understood that a new cartridgewill replace the empty one. To apply a new cartridge the actuatingmember 46 may be rotated in a direction adapted to return the followerto the general position shown in Fig. 1, after which the tip member [4may be removed from the barrel and the cartridge removed and replaced bya filled cartridge.

Whereas I have shown internal threads 34 formed in the wall of thebarrel bore, I co-ntemplate the use of a sleeve-like member which may beinternally threaded if desired and telescoped into the barrel borewithout departing from the scope of my invention. Whereas I have shown abushing [2 in the rear end of the barrel I contemplate an equivalentstructure wherein the rear end of the barrel I is formed with anintegral apertured end wall.

While a preferred embodiment of my inven tion has been shown anddescribed in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrativeonly and is not intended to be a definition of the limits of theinvention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a writing instrument comprising an elongate barrel formed withinternal threads, a tip member at the forward end of the barrel providedwith a writing element, and an ink supply in the forward portion of thebarrel in communication with said writing element; means for selectivelyurging said ink supply toward said writing element comprising a followerrearwardly adjacent said ink supply formed with a peripheral portionadapted to register with said threads, an actuating member rotatablymounted in the rear end of said barrel, and an extension springintermediate and having its opposed end portions aflixed in non-rotatingrelation with said follower and said actuating member, respectively;said follower being adapted to rotate and move forwardly in the barrelin response to the rotation in one direction of said actuating memberwhereby to urge said ink supply toward said writing element.

2. In a writing instrument comprising an elongate barrel formed withinternal threads, a tip member at the forward end of the barrel providedwith a writing element, an axially col.-- pressible elongate cartridgein the forward portion of the barrel adapted to be charged with ink andcooperatively connected with said writing element; means for selectivelyurging said ink toward said writing element comprising a followerrearwardly adjacent said cartridge formed with a peripheral portionadapted to register with said threads, an actuating member rotatablymounted in the rear end of said barrel, and an extension springintermediate and having its opposed end portions aflixed in non-rotatingrelation with said follower and said actuating member, respectively;said follower being adapted to move forwardly into axially compressiverelation with said cartridge in response to the rotation in onedirection of said actuating member whereby to urge the ink toward saidwriting element.

ARTHUR F. O'CONNOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 799,297 Betzler Sept. 12, 19051,756,811 Brownsberger Apr. 29, 1930 2,196,379 Bender Apr. 9, 19402,376,222 Barlow May 15, 1945 2,438,786 Moore Mar. 30, 1948 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 386,298 Great Britain 1931

